Economic Ethics in Late Medieval England, 1300–1500 (eBook)

Jennifer Hole is currently Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of History at the University of Western Australia. Her previous background was in commerce, specialising in industry analysis.

Acknowledgements 6
Contents 8
Abbreviations and Editorial Notes 10
Editorial Notes 13
1: Introduction 14
2: Economic Ethics 31
The Origins of Ethical Concepts and Some Major Exponents 34
Theologians and Moral Philosophers in Late Medieval England 51
Conclusions 62
3: The Translation of Economic Ethics into the Daily Practices of the Laity 65
Criticisms 69
Excess Wealth and Social Inequality 69
The Sinful Nature of Avarice or Covetousness 74
Avarice as the Cause of Economic Injustice 78
Particular Kinds of Economic Injustice 81
Non-payment of Debts and Usury 81
Ravine, Extortion and Unjust Acquisition: The Abuses of Lords and Gentry 85
Purveying Abuses: Economic Injustice by Lords and Monarchs 89
Other Non-mercantile Types of Misconduct 92
Remedies 94
The Virtues of Justice and Equity 94
Kings and Economic Justice 98
Good Lordship Versus Bad Lordship 102
Making Restitution, Punishment and Spiritual Discipline 106
Conclusions 108
4: Wealth and Lordship in Late Medieval Literature 111
Criticism of Lords and Justifications of Wealth 116
The Role of Kings in Economic Ethics 123
The Failures of Knights and Lords 128
The Ideal Society: Social Order and the Virtues 131
Conclusions 137
5: The Application of Theory: The Language of Economic Ethics in Statutes and Petitions 138
Regulating for Economic Injustice 139
Seeking Redress for Economic Injustice 146
Case Studies 155
Abuses of Purveying 155
Extortion and Oppression by Lords and Gentry 165
Extortion by Officials, Unreasonable Tolls and Fines 171
Enclosures 177
Conclusions 183
6: Lords of the Manor: Rapacious or Reasonable? 187
Evidence from Manors 188
Rents and Entry Fines in General: The Problem of Determining Whether or Not They Were Excessive 188
Examples of Rents and Entry Fine Assessments: Wakefield and Halesowen 190
The Burden of Services Versus Numbers of Free Tenants 193
Poor Tenants and Their Treatment 196
Amercements and Other Fines 198
Tallage 200
Exploitation Versus the Power of Custom 201
Wills 207
The Evidence of Restitution in Wills 209
Conclusion 213
7: Merchants and Landowners’ Responses to Economic Ethics 215
The Evidence of Letters and Papers 217
The Ideal of Worshipfulness, Trust, Payment of Debts and the Importance of Shame 217
Where Ethics Were Ignored: Distraints, Bribery, Speculation and Chevisances 225
Sir John Fastolf: Perceptions of Avarice and Its Worldly Justification 240
Fastolf Makes Amends 246
Conclusion 249
8: Conclusion 253
Bibliography 262
Primary Sources 262
Early Printed Editions 263
Modern Printed Editions 263
Secondary Sources 270
Online Sources 300
Index 301